Applicator and container having cam-locking means

ABSTRACT

An applicator for use in combination with a squeezable tube and a retaining ring which carries a foamed plastic cover. An opening is formed in the ring defining a valve seat. Integrally formed with the retaining ring is a projecting portion so that a valve assembly can be force fitted into the container so that the projecting portion holds the tube and valve assembly in place. The valve assembly is integrally formed with annularly spaced cam members which are lockingly engaged by the projecting portion.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Gilbert Sehwartzman 20 Wilmot Circle,Scarsdale, N.Y. 10583 [21] Appl. No. 739,252 [22] Filed June 24, 1968[45] Patented Feb. 23, 1971 [54] APPLICATOR AND CONTAINER HAVING CAM-LOCKING MEANS 1 Claim, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 222/107 [51] Int. Cl 865d 35/54 [50] Field of Search 222/92,107, 215, 501, 518, 498, (lnquired) 56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,269,483 6/1918 Miller 222/107 1,960,393 5/1934 Otten 222/92IIHHIIIHIHHHHI 2,714,475 8/1955 Roehrich 222/501 2,984,393 5/1961Magnenat..... 222/501 2,889,967 6/1959 Drennan 222/498 FOREIGN PATENTS529,433 6/1955 ltaly 222/107 Primary Examiner- Robert B. ReevesAssistant Examiner-H. S. Lang Attorney- Kenneth S. Goldfarb APPLICATORAND CONTAINER HAVING CAM- ILOCKING MEANS This invention relates to anapplicator for a squeezable container, and more particularly to a novelarrangement for assembling an applicator wherein a valve assembly issnapped in place in a convenient manner.

This invention is directed to a fluid applicator especially adapted foruse in applying cosmetics, medications, shoe polish, or the like and maybe adapted for repeated use or as a single use applicator.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of anapplicator for use in combination with a squeezable container such as aplastic tube or the like in which a mounting ring provided with cammembers is snapped into position after being force fitted in the tube.

In the past, various types of mounting arrangements for valve assemblieshad been provided. When it is desired to provide a cover for the valveopening to be used as an applicator surface, it had heretofore beennecessary to secure the cover in place after the valve had been placedin its final assembled position, which sometimes served to destroy theefficiency of the valve. The present invention has the concept ofproviding a snap action seating arrangement for the valve assembly whichcan be accomplished after the'cover has been positioned over theretaining ring and over the valve seat in a one step convenientoperation which may be accomplished immediately prior to the filling ofthe tube. Alternatively, the filling of the tube can be accomplished atany time long after the valve assembly has been placed in position.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provisionof a novel valve assembly including a mounting ring provided withannularly spaced cam members integrally formed with the valve head andhelical springs.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in theprovision of an application which is inexpensive to manufacture, simpleto use, capable of metering fluids of various viscosities in aneffective manner so that the applicator is capable of effective use inapplying medications, cosmetics, polishes, oils, pigments and the like,and which is attractive in appearance.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of thisinvention, which will become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by this applicator and container havingcam-locking means, a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, by way of example only, wherein:

FIG. I is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of an applicatorconstructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the valve assembly incorporated in thepresent invention looking in the direction of the plane of line 2-2 inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an applicator in an assembledposition;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional detail view taken along the planeofline 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of a modified form ofthe applicator;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the valve assembly incorporatedin the present invention taken in the direction of the plane ofline 6-6in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a further modified form ofapplicator designed for a single use in an assembled position;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a cap used with the embodiment shown inFIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional detail view of an embodiment used with a tube-typecontainer.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein likereference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate the applicatorconstructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention.The applicator includes two main parts, a container generally indicatedat 12 and a valve assembly generally indicated at 14. A cap 16 asdesired may be provided.

The container 12 is in the form of an elongated cylindrical tube 18molded out of any suitable plastic material as is generally used forsuch packages and is'resilient, deformable, flexible, and squeezable,and prior to filling thereof has an open lower end 20 which may becrimped or otherwise sealed at 22 after filling, as shown in FIG. 3,

lntegrally formed with the tube 18 is a retaining ring 24 having atapered opening 26 therein defining a valve seat 28. Further integrallyformed with the retaining ring 24 is a projecting portion 30 whichextends exteriorally downwardly from the web portion of the retainingring and surrounding and spaced from the tube 18 and terminates in ainwardly turned bead 32. Also integrally formed with the retaining ring24. is a flange 34 which extends upwardly. A cover 36 formed ofpolyurethane foam or other suitable material, which may be covered withfabric, if desired, is positioned on the web portion in the retainingring 24 overlying the opening 26 and is held in place by the flangebeing swaged thereover at 38.

The valve assembly 14 includes a mounting ring 40 of slightly less depththan the depth of the projecting portion 30 and has an inwardlyextending flange integrally formed therewith. Integral with the flange42 and rising therefrom are helical coil springs 44 which have formedintegrally therewith a valve head 46 having a truncated conical portion48 and a cylindrical portion 50 terminating in a rounded surface 51.

A plurality of cam members 52 having tapered leading edges 54 andshoulders 56 formed at the'base thereof are integral with the mountingring 40 and are spaced around the periphery thereof, there being fourcam members 52 as can be best seen in FIG. 4. The valve assembly 14 isinserted in the container 12 through the open lower end 20 thereof andis force fitted upwardly along the tube 18 until it is snap fitted inposition deforming the tube 18, as at 60, and is held in place by thehead 32 pressing the tube 18 and particularly the portion 62 thereofagainst the shoulder'56 as can be best seen in FIG. 3. In this position,the valve portion 48 closes the valve opening and abuts against thevalve seat 28 with the cylindrical portion 50 extending through theopening 26 and the rounded portion 51 of the valve assembly causing thecover to assume an outwardly curved and substantially hemisphericalsurface 66. a

The cap 16 is adapted to be snapped in place over the rib 68 integrallywith the retaining ring with its rib 70 cooperating to hold the cover 16in place. Of course, any suitable other type of rib can be used.

With reference to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 5 and6, reference numeral is used to generally designate the modified form ofapplicator. The applicator 110 includes four main parts, a containergenerally indicated at 112, a mounting ring 113, a retaining ring and avalve assembly generally indicated at 114. A cap 116 as desired may beprovided.

The container 112 is in the form of an elongated cylindrical tube 118molded out of any suitable plastic material as is generally used forsuch packages and is resilient, deformable, flexible, and squeezable,and prior to filling thereof has an open lower end 20 which may becrimped or otherwise sealed at 22 after filling, as shown in FIG. 3.

The retaining ring 115 has a web 124 provided with a tapered opening 126therein defining a valve seat 128v A groove 129 of circular shapeoptionally is formed in the web 124 for receiving the upper edge of themounting ring 113. Further integrally formed with the web 124 is aprojecting portion 130 which extends exteriorally downwardly from theweb 124 and which terminates in an inwardly turned bead 132. Alsointegrally formed with the retaining ring 115 is a flange 134 whichextends upwardly. A cover 136 formed of polyurethane foam or othersuitable material, which may be covered with fabric, if desired, ispositioned on the web 124 overlying the opening 126 and is held inplace, the flange being swaged thereover at 138.

The valve assembly 114 includes a base ring 140 adapted to seat onflange 141 of mounting ring 113. The mounting ring 113 is of slightlyless depth than the depth of the projecting portion 30 and has theinwardly extending flange 141 integrally formed therewith. Integral withthe base ring 140 and rising therefrom are helical coil springs 144which have formed integrally therewith a valve head 146 having atruncated conical portion 148 and a cylindrical portion 150 terminatingin a rounded surface 151.

A plurality of cam members 152 having tapered leading edges 154 andshoulders 156 formed at the base thereof are integral with the mountingring 113 and are spaced around the periphery thereof, there being fourcam members 152 as can be best seen in FIG. 6. The valve assembly 114 isinserted in the tube 112 through the open lower end 120 thereof and isforce fitted upwardly along the tube 118 until it is snap fitted inposition deforming the tube 118, the tube 118 and the mounting ring 113being held in place by the bead 132 pressing the tube 18 against theshoulder 156. In this position, the valve portion 148 closes the valveopening and abuts against the valve seat 128 with the cylindricalportion 150 extending through the opening 126 and the rounded portion151 of the valve assembly causing the cover to assume an outwardlycurved and substantially hemispherical surface 166. The cap 116 isadapted to be snapped in place over the rib 168 integrally with theretaining ring.

Referring now to FIG. 7, herein is disclosed a further form of theinvention wherein the parts are generally similar to those shown in FIG.5, however the valve assembly 114 is eliminated and the mounting ring isprovided with a frangible seal. This form of applicator is generallydesignated by reference numeral 210 and includes three main parts, acontainer generally indicated at 212, a mounting ring 213 and aretaining ring 215.

The container 212 is substantially the same as container 112 and themounting ring 213 is of the same general construction as mounting ring113. The retaining ring 215 is similar to retaining ring 115 with theexception that seal 217 is provided for the ring 113 as an initialclosure and is in the form ofa thin film integrally with or separatelyapplied to the retaining ring 215.

This seal is broken either by pressure applied on the tube 212 or by adepending prong 219 integrally formed in the cap 216, shown in FIG. 8,which is pushed through the cover 236 and the seal 217. This form of theinvention is therefore especially adapted for packaging and dispensingmedications and the like as an inexpensive single dosage package.

In FIG. 9 there is shown an adaptation of the invention for use with acontainer such as a toothpaste tube or the like. Herein, the tube 312 isheld in position relative to an upper part 315 by the mounting ring 316and associated cam elements 317.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in theforegoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of theinvention will be employed without a corresponding use of otherfeatures.

I claim:

1. An applicator comprising a flexible container, a retaining ring atthe upper end of said container a cover secured to said retaining ring,said retaining ring having an opening therein, a cylindrical projectingportion integral with said retaining ring and concentric with andsurrounding said container, said projecting portion having an inwardlybeaded lower end, and a mounting ring concentric with said containerhaving a plurality of spaced upwardly tapered cam members, said mountingring having cylindrical sidewalls of less depth than said projectingportion and having a flange integral with the lower part thereof, avalve assembly integral with said flange and rising above said mountingring and extending into said opening, said mounting ring being forcefitted in said container and forming outwardly deformed portions in saidcontainer, said cam members seating in said deformed portions and beinglocked in said container by said beaded lower end engaging said deformedportion holding said retainer ring, said mounting ring, and saidcontainer assembled.

1. An applicator comprising a flexible container, a retaining ring atthe upper end of said container a cover secured to said retaining ring,said retaining ring having an opening therein, a cylindrical projectingportion integral with said retaining ring and concentric with andsurrounding said container, said projecting portion having an inwardlybeaded lower end, and a mounting ring concentric with said containerhaving a plurality of spaced upwardly tapered cam members, said mountingring having cylindrical sidewalls of less depth than said projectingportion and having a flange integral with the lower part thereof, avalve assembly integral with said flange and rising above said mountingring and extending into said opening, said mounting ring being forcefitted in said container and forming outwardly deformed portions in saidcontainer, said cam members seating in said deformed portions and beinglocked in said container by said beaded lower end engaging said deformedportion holding said retainer ring, said mounting ring, and saidcontainer assembled.